Throughout the history of the United States; there have been landmark cases that have changed the nation. Famous cases such as Brown v Board of Education (1954) and Roe v Wade have dealt with segregation and abortion. Now, in 2019, there will be three cases that deal with LGBTQ rights; cases that can change the nation once again.
On Oct. 8, the Supreme Court will hear three cases that will determine whether the rights of the LGBTQ community will be protected under discrimination laws, and whether these laws protect them from discrimination in their workplace; which will set a precedent for the future. The first one has to do with Aimee Stephens and transgender rights.

Since 2008, Stephens had been trying to figure out her true self and trying to piece it all together. In 2012 she finally made the transition and started confiding into people about who she really was. It wouldn’t be until 2013 when she would tell her boss at R.G and G.R Harris Funeral Homes, a place where she worked as a funeral home director for six years. Stephens gave her boss a letter explaining her experience and her difficulties coming to terms with who she is and explained that she would be adhering to the women’s dress code from now on. Two weeks later, Stephens was terminated.
Stephens argues that federal sex discrimination laws should protect LGBTQ people as well, and on Oct. 8, the Supreme Court will decide if the rights of transgender
individuals are protected under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Supreme Court will also decide if sexual orientation is also protected under these federal laws by hearing two other cases.

Donald Zarda and Gerald Bostock both claim they were fired from their respective workplace after coming out as gay. Zarda was a skydiving instructor who worked for Altitude Express until 2010 when he was abruptly fired. The incident that ignited the whole thing was when Zarda told a customer his sexual orientation to sooth her concerns of being strapped to a guy; he was fired shortly after that. Altitude Express claims that Zarda touched the customer inappropriately, but Zarda’s team denies these allegations and says Zarda was fired for his sexual orientation. Zarda sued his former workplace, and in 2018 the Court of Appeals for the Second District agreed that sexual orientation is protected under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Unfortunately,
Zarda would not hear this ruling as he passed away in 2014. Altitude Express later petitioned for the Supreme Court to review this case and was successful.

The Supreme Court will also hear the case of Gerald Bostock. Bostock worked for the Clayton County in Georgia. He was part of their Court Appointed Special Advocates program until 2013 when he was fired; Bostock claims it was because he was gay. He alleges that his workplace found out after he joined a gay softball league, and he also claims that some of his former coworkers made negative comments on his sexual orientation. The county has vehemently denied firing Bostock for his sexual orientation. Bostock sued the county but hasn’t been successful, thus bringing his case to the eyes of the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court will hear these three cases on Oct. 8 and will finally set a precedent on whether the LGBTQ community is protected under Title VII of the Civil
Rights Act of 1964 from discrimination in the workplace.

Don't miss your chance to attend Fresno's Drag Festival 2019: Werk! Oct 5th and 6th

This year we will have TWO special guest! This year we will also have a two day event. During the two days there will be performances from Queens & Kings from all over California.

Ada Vox, contestant on season One of American Idol, will be our featured guest for our Dinner & Drag Show.

Erika Klash from the Dragula show will be our featured guest on our second day!  She will also be hosting our Runway portion of the event. Runway will consists of seasoned Queens or Kings transforming an audience member and getting them ready to perform their own number!

 Fresno's Drag Festival $5 admission for the day or $7 for both days.
9am to 2pm - Piccadilly Inn Airport, 5115 E McKinley Ave, Fresno

Mimosas with Erika Klash: $15 general admission, $20 VIP (includes Meet & Greet)

Last chance to attend Common Space's 2nd Annual QueerOut Awards Gala! We're allowing all ticket/table sales through the end of Friday, October 4. No tickets will be sold at the door. This event is close to being sold out!  Purchase a ticket at commonspacefresno.org/queerout

Movies, popcorn, and good times! The Fresno Reel Pride LGBT Film Festival was held last week, showcasing a variety of different films.

Starting from Sept. 18 and running until the 22; several movies were played each day in the Tower and Vistas Theatres. There was a genre for everyone; ranging from comedies to documentaries. For example, there was the dramedy Tucked, a movie about a drag queen who makes an important friend while dying of cancer. There was also the documentary Scream Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street, chronicling the experience of actor Mark Patton who was the star of A Nightmare on Elm Street: Freddy’s Revenge.

A viewer of Tucked, said it was a “good story” and described it as meaningful. The movie was liked by many as the whole theatre was roaring with laughter during the comedic bits, and completely silent during the tear-jerking moments.

This marked the film festival’s 30^th anniversary, making it one of the oldest LGBT film festivals in the country; it also has the achievement of being one of the biggest. Attending a screening makes it obvious why it has both achievements.

The film festival has friendly service as soon as one walks up to buy a ticket, and it continues during the entire night; with volunteers helping people out if they don’t know where to go. As soon as one steps into the lobby, they are surrounded by laughter and smiling faces; creating a welcoming environment for first-time attendees. Ivan Manriquez is one of these attendees.

Manriquez went to the screening of Scream Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street. He explained that he came to be a part of his community; which is what the film festival is all about. Even if one is not a part of the community; they are welcomed with opened arms. The Fresno Reel Pride LGBT Film Festival slogan is, “Films for Everyone.”

The following was posted on the Common Space page:

Content Warning: Talking About the Inherent Violence of White Supremacy and supporting them through the politics of politeness.

A good friend of mine posted the image below. It is a flyer for the counter protest of the White Supremacist- er, I mean "Straight Pride" event that occured this last Saturday in Modesto.

Featured on it is a silhouette of a gun, with flowers growing out of the barrel. Bold print says
DEFEND MODESTO,
#STOPHATEPRIDE
#DEFEND209,
Not in our Community, Not in our -lives-
Stop Anti-LGBTQ Bigotry
Smash White Supremacy
Make Proud Boys Piss Themselves.

I want it clearly stated for the record: I LOVE THIS POSTER. It is clear, concise in its position to have folks show up to stop the spread of White Supremacy, mocking them through solidarity.

The very first comments on my friend's page were to the tune of "A gun on a protest poster? Surely they invite violence on themselves with such imagery." Several people agreed that the gun was a bit much.

I countered that the gun with flowers growing out of it is a pretty iconic image from Vietnam-era protests in this country, where non violent anti-war activists put daisies into the barrel of the guns of soldier and police lines. I also offered that the gun with a flower growing out of it is a straight forward message of peace: If a gun has a flower growing out of it, it can no longer be used for it's designated purpose. It is now a flower pot instead. Modesto and the Central Valley coming together in solidarity against such an event could and would drown out that hate rhetoric. I supposed that the only people who would see violence in this image are people who seem to think that it would be the protesters fault if violence were to occur against them for holding this sign or sharing it on social media.

Now, I am sure that there have been replies to that message, but I decided that I do not wish to start a debate on someones page who probably wasn't asking for that to happen. So I am doing it here. Because I realized that my original response was not adequate to the situation at all. I was focusing on the wrong part of the responses.

When someone, anyone, in this year of our gods 2019, finds it acceptable to suggest that White Supremacists will only commit violence unless they have been unfairly provoked is.... so deeply ignorant of what is going on in our country at this moment that I cannot begin to find words for it. But I'm gonna try.

Men, women, and children are dying in concentration camps in the US.

ICE literally ran over people last week who were doing a peaceful protest in front of detention centers.

Our fascist president has recently called Democrat- voting Jews traitors.

Violence against all minority groups has risen to insane numbers, I believe the largest number I have seen is something like 30% since LAST YEAR.

White Supremacists do not need a reason to inflict violence upon others. Their whole ideology, their function in the past and the here and now, is to kill and "cleanse" the US of people like me, Jordan, and every single one of my queer, disabled, POC, poor, minority religious friends AND to enslave child baring people.

A flower pot shaped like a gun is not the problem. And choosing to accuse activists trying to protect our communities through PEACEFUL PROTESTS of bringing violence upon themselves smacks of victim blaming ("what did you expect for choosing to hold hands with your husband in public?") and just plain wrong.

Saturday's rally in Modesto, attracted ten times as many counter-demonstrators as attendees.

Don Grundmann, director of the National Straight Pride Coalition, had originally asked to hold the event in the Mancini Bowl in Graceada Park. On its website, the coalition states that its mission is to prevent civilization "from being destroyed by the inherent malevolence of the Homosexual Movement."

Grundmann's request was ultimately rejected by the city council, despite Mylinda Mason being a co-organizer for the rally. (Mason's son, Matthew, who is openly gay, spoke against the rally at a meeting earlier this month.) The council cited "security concerns" and insufficient insurance for the event as its reason for denying the permit.

Early Saturday morning, a call went out notifying attendees the rally had been moved to Durrer Barn, a private venue. The Bee estimates a few dozen people came to the barn, with more than 200 counter-protesters gathering nearby at Enslen Park.

Insisting they were not notified the event was promoting straight pride, the Durrer family promptly shut it down, according to the Los Angeles Blade. Grundmann, however, claimed it was broken up by the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department "for fear of protests and violence."

Shortly after 12:30pm, he relocated the event again—this time to the parking lot outside Planned Parenthood offices on McHenry Avenue, which were closed at the time.

"Masculinity, femininity, the natural family of man, woman children, babies, born and unborn western civilization, Caucasians and all people—all of those are basic foundations that are under attack," Grundmann stated.

Grundmann had predicted some 500 attendees, but reports put the number closer to 20. Counter-protesters arrived several minutes later, chanting "No Hate, No Fear, Straight Pride is not welcome here!"

A national "Straight Pride" rally is set for August 31st in Boston.

Read more: 'Straight Pride' rally draws less than 20

The LGBT Resource and Community Center held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, August 3, 2019. The Fresno Spectrum Center is currently open Tuesdays through Fridays 1pm-6pm, with the hope of expanding the days/hours. Seeking volunteers for office help.

"We're going to be doing some partnering organizations to other community organizations that are non-profit that provides services either victim services, domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, immigration, sometimes maybe it's family services," said Leon Velasco-Stoll. "We're actually trying to get those partnerships here at the center."

Apart from the services, the center will provide, they also offer their building as a community space to gather for support groups.

CARNIVAL August 10th

ALL ages and gender identities are welcome to attend this public event brought to you an benefiting Trans- E- Motion, a non profit organization. Pride season is here all summer long! Get one last Family Style Summer In! Get your picture taken with Fresno State Mascot, Victor E. Bulldog! An evening full of games, face paint, music, dancing, activities, family involvement, cake walk, wine walk, dunk tank, games, carnival style food, haircut booth and more!

Board Games and Snacks! August 7th

Come play board games, and enjoy some snacks with us! No outside food, please. We have been having some pretty good turn outs for the monthly game nights. You can play with library board games, or bring your own. LGBTQ+ and Allies of all ages with positive and friendly competition views are welcome. See you there! ♥

Reel Pride 30 Kick-Off Party & Silent Auction

All Festival Members and Sponsors are invited to join #ReelPride30 for the Annual Kick-Off Party & Silent Auction at The Painted Table in Fresno's Historic Tower District, 1211 N Wishon Ave, beginning at 6:00 p.m ??✨!

Come & enjoy light appetizers prepared by Master Chef's from The Painted Table and visit our Reel Pride Lounge for signature cocktails!

Drag Bingo is an event you DON'T want to miss.

There will be refreshments and adult beverages available for sale; as we escape into about two hours of food, fun, laughs and entertainment.

Many great prizes; GRAND PRIZE: 32" Roku TV

The MC's and hostesses are:
Rosio De LaRosa
Isis De Luna

GREAT Entertainment line up:
Maxx Decco
Isis De Luna
Atown DK
Rosio De La Rosa

VIP Tables are also available, call for details.
$10 tickets get you the first pack
($5.00 for additional packs at the door)

BUNCO Night August 17th

Come out for another fun night of FPLC Bunco!!! For those of you that have been to our past events, you know they are crazy fun!!! This will be held at the Round Table Pizza, Southeast corner of First and Bullard!!!!
Saturday, Aug 17, 6PM
$20 buy-in
Pizza Provided
Beer/wine available for purchase

LGBTQ+ Meet & Greet August 28

Let us have a Meet and Greet with fellow LGBTQA Plus community members and Allies. We will be in the Banquet Room to make new friends and have a no-host dinner. Hope to see you there!

I received some exciting news last month which I want to share with all of you!

The International Book Awards announced the winners and the finalists of the 2019 INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARDS (IBA) on May 11, 2019. My novel, Diego’s Secret, is an Award-Winning Finalist in the LGTBQ Fiction category!

This news was especially gratifying to receive, as I never felt this book gained the attention that it so deserved. When I wrote the book, my intent was to reveal a love story between two opposites—extreme opposites, in this case.
Winston is a conservative wealthy white man and Diego is an undocumented Hispanic man born in Mexico. These two wonderful characters couldn’t be more opposite from one another. Like olive oil and balsamic vinegar, separately, they each have a purpose and together, they blend into something really wonderful.

After releasing the book, some accused me of having an agenda by writing it. They were absolutely right, I did. In all of my books I have wanted my characters to have to overcome some type of moral dilemma in their pursuit of love. I also want my readers to read something that is magical and yet, authentic. My hope is that each one of my books gives you a moment of pause, not for sympathy, but for empathy.
I was never attempting to change someone’s view on illegal immigration, but, rather, to show the reader this character’s personal story. I wanted people to experience the ‘feelings’ of the character, and his experience, like I do for the characters in all my books. Sadly, some didn’t want to feel it. Maybe Diego’s scenario is just too current for them.

We, as a nation, are polarized in some of our views and thoughts. Unfortunately, immigration is one of those polarizing points of view. Changing this is beyond my paygrade, but I can certainly take part in the conversation.

Just recently, I had someone leave me the following review: “B T Clark is one of today’s brightest and significant writers of gay genre novels. Taking taboo subjects and weaving words into some of the most beautiful novels of this generation.”
This review is exactly why I write the books that I write. I want to immerse you, the reader, into a story in which you can not only feel the pain as it is unfolding on the page, but also, experience the triumph of love winning out. In my latest release, Escaping Camp Roosevelt, I take on the issues of homelessness, sex work, addiction, and mental illness. These are dark issues—but real issues, woven into forgiveness, hope, and triumph.
Writing romance is beautiful. It allows the reader to see the dance that two people do when getting to know one another; including the butterflies they feel in their bellies with just the thought of the other person, as well as their fears of rejection and distorted thinking. We all have baggage. Life is rough, but isn’t it grand when love prevails!

A big thank you to all of you who have taken the time to read and appreciate Diego’s Secret. I can’t be more ecstatic over its latest recognition. If you haven’t had a chance to read it, now there is one more reason to read it.